NEW ZEALAND – Abel Janszoon Tasman (1603 – 1659)

“Dit land lijkt alsof je een heel mooi land” “This land looks like being a very beautiful land.” – Abel Tasman – 1642 Abel Janszoon Tasman was born in Lutjegast, Netherlands in 1603. He was 33 years old when he travelled to Batavia, Indonesia in the employment of the Dutch East India Company. In 1639, …

Nova Zeelandia Ahoy!

This could easily be the first ‘impression’ map of New Zealand – Nova Zeelandia – as drawn by Abel Janszoon Tasman in 1642. As he only saw the west coast of New Zealand at best, this was the result. He also confused the strait for a bight…this map is quite something.